Iowa Learning Farms to Host Strip-Till and Cover Crop Field Day in Hancock County

AMES — Iowa Learning Farms will host a strip-tillage and cover crop field day on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at the Dean Stromer farm near Klemme from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Topics include the use of strip-tillage and cover crops as conservation farming techniques. You can learn how strip-tillage and cover crops benefit soil health and water quality. The event is free of charge, open to the public, and lunch will be provided courtesy of the Hancock County Farm Bureau. The Iowa Soybean Association is also a sponsor of the event.

Attendees will hear from host farmers Dean Stromer, and his son Will who are using strip-tillage and cover crops. They will share their experiences with these methods and offer advice on how to effectively strip-till and manage cover crops. Also hear from Butler County farmer Rick Juchems, a Conservation Districts of Iowa Cover Crop Champion, who is using single species and mixtures of cover crops in his operation. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will discuss the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and the recommended ways to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus going into Iowa’s rivers and streams.

The Conservation Station will also be on display. The Conservation Station features a rainfall simulator that shows the effects that different surfaces from agricultural and urban environments have on the displacement of rain.

Please RSVP to Iowa Learning Farms, 515-294-8912 or by email: ilf@iastate.edu by August 15. The field day site is located at 1842 Highway 69. From Garner, go south on Highway 69 for 3.5 miles. The farm is on the east side of the road.

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About the Authors

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation, encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms are the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319), Conserva­tion Districts of Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau, Iowa Water Center and Practical Farmers of Iowa.Iowa Learning Farms